Safety In Daddy's Arms: An Erudite High School One-Shot
by GerdyGertha
Summary: This is a one-shot branching off of my story Erudite High School. This story probably won't make much sense if you haven't read the EHS epilogue first. -Get answers about Zeke, Elena, Bobby, and Rachael in this story. 'A bomb detonates inside of me. Vivid images of another man's disgusting, foreign hand landing anywhere on my child makes me want to roll heads.'


**Author's Note: A lot of you really wanted to know what happens with Zeke, Elena, and Bobby, so here you go!  
This starts off during the Epilogue of EHS, so if you didn't read that - well, you might want to do that…  
Try to remember that Zeke is about 27 years old in this story, so he's grown up. This one-shot is a bit more serious, but the topic itself shouldn't be taken lightly so I think it's acceptable.  
Let me know what you think. I personally can't decide if I really like this one.**

 **Don't forget to follow me to be alerted when I post another one-shot. I have quite a few ideas, and I am always open to more.**

 **I'm very sorry I haven't had more content up for you guys. This whole month has been crazy busy, and that probably won't change for a long time either.  
Thank you all for your patience and support  
-GerdyGertha**

* * *

 **Safety In Daddy's Arms**

An _Erudite High School_ One-Shot

 **Zeke  
** _ **Sunday, November 10**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 4211**_

I watch Elena walk across the park and I allow her to climb into my lap. "What's up, buttercup?"

She giggles at the use of my nickname for her. "My name is Elena!"

" _Oh!_ " I say dramatically. "I'm sorry. What's up, Elena?"

"Do I had to go wiv mommy today?" she asks quietly, her eyes wide.

I sigh. I hate this. Every time. I hate sending her away. "Yes, honey, you do."

Her bottom lip sticks out. "But I wanna stay wiv you."

I push a piece of her hair back that has fallen out of her ponytail with her playing and shake my head. "That would make your mommy very sad." _But that would make me very happy._ Elena shrugs and I frown at her expression. This resistance to go to her mother's is not new, but something is different. She's always been sad to leave, but she's never looked... _scared_. "Why don't you want to go to mommy's?"

Her eyebrows pinch together and she looks down. "I don like Bobby."

"Who is Bobby?" I ask. I try to keep my voice calm as not to frighten her, but I have never heard of a _Bobby_. In the past, Rachael has told me when she's begun seeing someone new who will be around my daughter – or at least I thought she had.

"Mommy friend. He not nice, daddy."

"Why isn't he nice?"

Her dark brown eyes turn glassy as she looks up at me. "He say mean thins to me an he spank me."

A bomb detonates inside of me. Vivid images of another man's disgusting, foreign hand landing anywhere on my child makes me want to roll heads. I will not stand for verbal abuse against my baby and I definitely will not tolerate physical abuse. "When?" Elena just shrugs sadly and I take a deep breath in attempt to calm myself.

I stand up with Elena in my arms and turn to the rest of my family and friends. "We'll see you guys later." They all nod in understanding, having overheard our little conversation. Mom gives me a gentle smile and I nod at her before walking with Elena to the car.

I strap Elena into her car seat as quickly as I can before I get behind the wheel and leave the park.

"Why we go, daddy?" her tiny voice asks from behind me.

I catch her glance in the rear mirror before focusing on my driving again. "Elena, can you tell me about Bobby?" I stop at a stop sign and take another look at her. She shakes her head quickly. "Why not?"

She shrugs her little shoulders and I want to ask her again, but the person behind me honks. I'm glad we don't live very far from the park; we're home in five minutes. I grab her from her seat and we head upstairs. I carry her through the building, not being able to allow myself to let go of her.

We exit off the elevator and I take my key out. I leave her diaper bag by the door and sit down with her on the couch. I set her facing me on my lap and look at her as seriously, but as gently, as I can.

"Elena, tell me about Bobby and your mommy."

Her pretty eyes glaze over again and her lip begins to quiver. "Bobby mommy's friend."

I nod. "Okay. Is he at her house a lot?" Elena nods. "And he talks to you?" She nods again. "Can you tell me what he says?"

She sniffles, but I'm relieved that no tears have fallen yet. "He say I dumb and mommy no need me." I clench my jaw to keep from exploding and watch her face. She looks up at me, tears on the brink of falling. She fidgets with her hands in her lap and waits for me to speak.

"Is mommy around when he says these things to you?" She shakes her head, no. "And he spanked you?" That's the straw that breaks the camel's back. She begins crying loudly and lays her head down on my shoulder. I hate seeing her cry, she's the only one who can cause me this much pain. I rub gentle circles on her back as she gradually calms down. I pull her up to face me once her sobbing softens to sniffles. "You know you can tell me anything, sweetheart."

"Bobby spank me and say mommy don love me." I wrap my arms tightly around her.

"That's not true, Elena. Your mommy loves you very much, and so do I."

She nods her head. "Daddy, I no like Bobby."

I look her firmly in the eye. "And he will never touch you again. I promise." She looks at me for a second before she nods again. "Honey, does he hurt your mommy too?"

"I no know," she says.

"Does mommy know he hurt you?"

"I try tell her an she say I have to be nice to Bobby."

"She didn't believe you?" Elena shakes her head. I swear I will get full custody. She is clearly not safe in Rachael's care.

"Why did Bobby spank you?"

"He say somethin. I no remember," she says, shaking her head. "I no understand."

I nod. "Okay. Where did he hurt you?" She points to her bottom and I nod. But then she points to her back too. I clench my jaw and nod again. And then she points to her face. "He hit your face?" I ask, a bit louder than I intended. She shrinks back at my volume and I feel a giant boulder of guilt crush me. "I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to scare you."

Her tears flow again. "You mad at me?"

I wipe away her rapidly flowing tears. "No, honey no. I'm only mad at Bobby. I'm mad at him for hurting you and I'm mad at your mommy for not believing you. I love you, Elena. I'm sorry I scared you."

She calms down a bit and her posture softens back from its rigid state. "I no have to go to mommy's?"

I shake my head. "No. Not if Bobby is around."

"Okay," she says quietly, trusting me. It's not an empty promise. That sick bastard will never be within spitting distance of my daughter ever again.

"How about we make some snacks and then I will call you mommy?" She nods and wraps her tiny arms around my neck. I pick her up and carry her to our large kitchen. I sit her down and we both wash our hands before we begin preparing some peach jelly filled puff pastries: her favorite.

While the pastries are in the oven, I set her down in front of the television with a bottle of juice and a movie. I go off to the side where I can see her but not be heard clearly. I take my phone out and call Rachael.

It rings four times before she finally picks up. "Hello?"

"Who the hell is Bobby and why the fuck did he touch my daughter?"

"Hold on, what are you talking about? Bobby is just a guy I'm seeing," Rachael says, as if it's no big deal.

"And he is around my daughter, and I didn't know it."

Rachael scoffs and her tone becomes sarcastic. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't aware that every person who stepped into _my_ house had to be accepted by _you_."

"Stop the games, Rachael. I am definitely not in the mood. Why does your bastard boyfriend think he has any right to lay a hand or speak a word to my daughter?"

"Zeke, calm down. He didn't touch her."

"Really? And how would you know?"

"She's not even three. She made it up to get attention or whatever." I am speechless. I can't believe this. "Kids say stuff like that all the time."

" _NO!_ No, Rachael they do not! Kids don't go around claiming they were abused. And why the fuck would she need to be getting attention? She should always have your attention! And how the hell do you explain the straight terror that was on her face when I mentioned her going to your house today?" I don't give her time to answer; I don't want to hear it. "Listen up good, Rachael. She will not be coming to your house until she and I deem it is safe there. If you can't say goodbye to the disgusting, abusive, son of a bitch that you call a friend, you won't be seeing my daughter."

"You can't do that! She's my daughter too, Zeke!"

"Then choose. I'm not letting her go through any more verbal or physical harm. Ever. This is not an _option_ , Rachael."

"What are you talking about? What verbal harm?"

"Your little friend told Elena that you don't love her. Called her dumb and God only knows what else."

I hear Rachael gasp. "Bobby wouldn't do that."

"I don't care what you believe. My daughter is not going to be anywhere near him or you until this is straightened out."

"She's my daughter! I can protect her!"

"You shouldn't have to protect her from something like this. Keep arguing with me and I'll bring you to court."

"Zeke, please-" she begs.

"Get rid of Bobby, and then we'll talk again."

"Ze-" I hear her protest, but I hang up. I leave the small hallway I am standing in and go to the kitchen. A few more minutes until the pastries are ready, so I go into the living room and sit down next to Elena.

"Was you talkin to mommy?"

I rest my feet up on the ottoman and Elena climbs halfway into my lap. "Yes, I was."

"Do I have to go?"

I kiss the top of her head; her soft brown hair tickles my nose. "No, honey, you don't have to until we both decide you do."

"Really?" she asks. There is more joy on her face than I've seen in the past couple of hours.

"I promise you'll never have to see Bobby again if you don't want to. As long as I am here, nobody can touch you."

She hugs me tightly. "I love you, daddy."

"I love you more than anything in the world, buttercup." She smiles up at me when she hears her nickname. "How do peach pastries sound?"

"They done?" she asks, her eyes lighting up.

"Yup. I just need to get them out of the oven."

We eat our pastries and watch a movie before it's her nap time. Once I put her down, I go into my office and sit down at my desk. After a lot of snooping, I find out that Bobby's real name is Brian Roberts. Not sure how a person adapts _Bobby_ from _Brian_ , but whatever.

I take my phone out and dial a cop, who also happens to be my brother. The phone rings twice before he answers. I hear loud screaming in the background that I instantly recognize as Beth's. "Hello?"

"Hey, I need a favor."

"One sec," Four says. I hear the background noise decrease and finally a door shuts, silencing it completely. "Alright, what's up?"

"Can you find me anything on a Brian Roberts? He also goes by Bobby."

I hear typing from the other side. "Yeah. Says he works at a plumbing company out of Milwaukee. Thirty-two years old."

"Does he have a record?"

There's a pause on the other side. "There was a case against him for domestic abuse, but something must have happened and it fell through."

"Shit."

"Yeah. This the guy El was talking about today?"

I sigh. "Yeah. He says a bunch of bullshit to her and hits her."

"Fuck him," Four says. "Want his address?"

"Yeah." I write down the address along with a bunch of other information Four gives me. Technically, he could get in a lot of trouble for giving me this stuff, but his boss basically uses him as a detective already, so it's never been a big deal. Four runs background on all my hires, so if anybody asks, I'll just say this is an applicant.

"I understand how upset you are, but don't do anything stupid, Zeke," Four warns. "Don't get yourself taken away from your daughter."

I nod to myself. He's very right. I can't lay a hand on Bobby without getting myself in trouble and losing Elena. "You're right."

"Did you talk to Rachael?"

"She denied it all. Said that Elena is making it up."

"She says Bobby would never do that," Four assumes.

"Yeah. I told her to get rid of Bobby if she ever wants to see Elena again."

"What did she say?"

"She tried to argue with me, but I told her I'd bring her to court. After that, I just hung up. I couldn't stand to listen to her shit."

"Just be careful, Zeke. And you might want to call your lawyer." I sigh and rub my hand over my face. I hear commotion on the other line. "I'm sorry, I gotta go, but keep me in the loop and let me know if you need anything. Anything at all."

"Yeah. Kiss the wife and kids for me."

Four chuckles. "Yeah, okay. Talk to you later."

"Bye." I hang up my phone and toss it onto my desk. Right now, Elena is safe and I just need to distract myself. There's nothing I can do right now because my lawyer doesn't work on Sundays. I turn on my computer and decide to just order some more stock for _Amelia's_ and work on some paperwork.

* * *

 _ **Three Days Later – Wednesday, November 13**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 4211**_

"You can't keep her away from me!" Rachael yells through the phone. I lift it from my ear slightly.

"Where is Bobby?"

"He's in the kitchen, but-" I hang up before she can finish her sentence. After talking to my lawyer, he reminded me that in the case that my child does not feel safe in one home, the other parent is allow to restrict unsupervised visitation for up to a month. He had suggested that part before Elena was even born. He said typically it helps keep both parents in check, but obviously it didn't work on Rachael.

My phone begins ringing again and I take a deep breath as I look at the predicted Caller ID. "What?"

"Please, just let me talk to her," Rachael says, her voice sounds tired.

"Fine." I go into the living room where Elena sits on the floor working on a puzzle. I cover the vocal of my phone and crouch down to be eye level with Elena. "Mommy wants to talk to you."

I put the phone on speakerphone before putting it into her waiting palms. My phone isn't very big, but she still has to hold it with both of her tiny hands. "Hi."

"Hi, baby," Rachael's voice says through the phone. "How are you?"

"Good," Elena says flatly.

"Are you having fun at daddy's?"

"Yeah."

"You'll be able to come home soon, sweetie."

Elena looks up at me in horror. "Only when it is safe," I tell her, loud enough that Rachael can surely hear me too.

"I no like Bobby, mommy," Elena says, on the brink of tears. I pick her up and sit with her in my lap on the couch.

"Honey, you must not understand. Bobby would never be mean to you on purpose," Rachael says. Elena doesn't look convinced. "He probably said something and you took it the wrong way." _Is she seriously blaming an almost two year-old for her boyfriend's terrorizing behavior?_

"He say you don love me, mommy."

Rachael sighs on the other line, probably not knowing exactly how to make up an excuse. "Elena, do you _want_ to come home? To see me?"

Elena looks up at me, but I keep my expression as unbiased as I can. I can't tell Elena that she _can't_ see her mother. "Is Bobby there, mommy?"

"Yes, baby, but he likes you."

Elena's eyebrows furrow in confusion. "Why he mean?"

"Look, Elena you can just come home and we can both talk to Bobby. Everything will be okay."

Elena looks up at me with a questioning look on her face. "Don't tell her something if it won't happen," I say. "Don't lie to her."

"Would you just butt out Zeke? This has nothing to do with you!"

"She is _my_ daughter, so _yes_ it does have something to do with me. I won't let harm come to her."

Rachael lets out a frustrated groan. "Elena, baby, listen to me. You, me and Bobby can all sit down and talk. You'll see that he didn't mean you any trouble and then everything will be good. Okay? Can you just come home?"

"Okay," Elena says quietly. I run my hand over my face.

"Would you like to come today?" Rachael asks.

"Okay." I can see that she is scared.

"I'm coming too," I say, mostly to Elena.

"You come to mommy's?" Elena asks me, surprise on her face. She knows I hate going to Rachael's.

"Yes. You won't be alone." Elena nods and looks incredibly relieved.

"That's not necessary, Zeke," Rachael complains.

"That's not up to you anymore," I say firmly. "Unless you want to go to C-O-U-R-T," I spell out.

Rachael breathes out a huff of frustration. "Fine. How about I see you both in an hour?"

"Fine," I say. "Say goodbye, Elena."

"Bye, mommy," Elena says.

"Bye, baby." I hang up the phone and Elena looks up to me.

"You gonna leave me at mommy's?"

"Only if it's safe."

"What if Bobby mean to me more?"

"Would you like it if we called uncle Four?" Elena enthusiastically nods her head. She adores Four and he her. She understands what his job is, and she is very interested in his stories – the ones I allow him to tell at least.

I pick my phone up and dial his number. "What happened?" he answers on the first ring.

"I'm bringing Elena over to Rachael's so we can talk to Bobby. Elena wants you to come too."

After Four agrees, I get Elena ready and then pack her into the car. We drive to Tris and Four's house and pick him up before continuing on to Rachael's. I pull into the driveway and immediately see a car that isn't hers. It's a beat up old car with rust along the entire bottom. I think when the car was new, it was probably a nice blue color, but now it's sort of gray. I notice Four take mental note of the license plate before he gets out of my car. I grab Elena from the backseat but I leave her bags in the car – since I don't plan on her staying anyways.

We walk up the steps to the door and I knock. A moment later, Rachael opens the door and smiles brightly when she sees Elena. She opens her arms to her, but Elena wraps hers tighter around my neck. Rachael's face falls, but she lets us in anyways.

"Four? What are you doing here?" she asks, finally noticing my brother behind me.

"I am here as a mediator," he says, ignoring her unwelcoming expression and following me into the house. I sit down on the couch next to Four with Elena on my lap – clinging to me tightly. Her eyes dart around the room, and mine do too. Searching for the same person no doubt.

Rachael shouts loudly up the stairs, "Bobby, they're here!" _Wow, nice._

She sits down on the love seat across from us, and a moment later pounding footsteps come quickly down the stairs. A man a few inches shorter than Four stands before us. He has dark, shaggy hair that is a bit greasy, as though he hasn't washed it in a few too many days. He has a bit of stubble covering his round face. I also notice the dark stain on the chest of his t-shirt which wraps tightly around his wide stomach. His dark jeans have a hole in the knee and he walks barefoot through the house. He walks past Four, Elena, and I and sits down next to Rachael, immediately wrapping his arm around her in a protective way - like she is the one that needs protecting from us.

"Bobby, this is Zeke and his brother Four," she says, gesturing to us.

"Bobby," he says, putting out his hand to shake. His nails are dirty and I find myself staring at his hand, not shaking it. He awkwardly retracts it and leans back against the couch.

Rachael clears her throat. "So, there seems to be a miscommunication," she says. "Elena thinks you said mean things to her."

"And that you hit her," I say through my teeth.

Bobby's green eyes stare at me in disbelief, but I can see right through it. It's a pretty pathetic act. "Why would she think that? Elena and I are friends, aren't we?" he asks, looking down at her.

Elena violently shakes her head. "She definitely does not think that. And it was no ' _miscommunication_.' She is not dumb, Rachael, she understands when something is wrong."

"Why don't you tell us exactly what happened?" Rachael says, looking at Elena and ignoring me. Elena clutches onto me tighter and shrinks into my chest. Her eyes dart between her mother and Bobby and she shakes her head again. "We can't fix anything if you don't talk," Rachael says, becoming increasingly frustrated.

"Bobby, why don't we let these three talk and we go out and chat," Four suggests. He uses that tone that nobody can say no to. Bobby looks at Rachael for a suggestion, but she is too preoccupied with her daughter's frightened expression to even notice him. Bobby sighs and leads Four into the kitchen.

While they are gone, Elena retells the horrible things that happened to her while under this roof. The entire time, Rachael seems unconvinced. She looks at Elena as though she is not sure that she is mentally stable, which infuriates me. To simply dismiss something like this is sickening to me.

"Honey, I think you still misunderstood," Rachael says. "Bobby wouldn't do those things. Bobby is nice."

"Are you trying to convince her or yourself?" I ask. Rachael glares at me but doesn't say anything.

"I no like him, mommy," Elena whispers.

"You're safe here, Ellie, don't you see? I'm your mommy and I'll always keep you safe!"

Elena begins crying and shakes her head. "He not nice, mommy!"

"Elena!" Rachael says loudly, trying to be louder than her daughter's cries.

"Four," I yell. "Come on, we're leaving." I wrap my arms tightly around Elena and stand up.

"You can't take her from me!" Rachael yells, standing too.

"I told you what you had to do Rachael," I say angrily. "The answer is simple. Call us when you finally get your priorities straight." Four enters the room with Bobby on his tail.

"What's going on?" Bobby asks.

"We're leaving," I say.

"You can't take her daughter from her," Bobby argues. _Oh this is rich._

" _You_ , have _no_ say in this," I say, getting closer to him. " _You_ are the source of our problem and I won't allow it anymore."

"I didn't even hit her that hard," Bobby says, rolling his eyes.

Everybody freezes, and the only sound is Elena's cries into my neck. " _What?_ "

Bobby's eyes grow wide. "She wouldn't stop crying. All I did was tell her that Rachael loves somebody else more than her and she started crying. You're raising a selfish kid."

I take a deep breath. "Four, take Elena." Four shakes his head. " _Four!_ Take Elena!"

"No. You can't touch him, Zeke," Four says. "But I can." He whips around and delivers a solid hit to Bobby's face. Bobby stumbles backwards, holding his jaw.

"Four!" Rachael screams, going to Bobby. "What's wrong with you?"

"I think Four is the only one with any sense here," I say. "Say goodbye," I tell Elena. She peaks her eyes out and makes eye contact with Rachael.

"Please, don't do this Zeke," Rachael pleads.

"The answer is simple," I tell her.

"Bye," Elena says quietly. Four, Elena, and I walk quickly out of the house. I am working on strapping Elena into the backseat when the car door on the other side opens.

"Please, Elena, tell daddy that you want to stay," Rachael pleads. Elena shakes her head. "Please, Elena!"

"Bobby mean to me and daddy and uncle Four!" Elena says. Rachael begins crying and she shakes her head.

"Get out," I tell her. "We need to leave."

"You can't take her!"

"I'll text you my lawyer's number and you can continue this conversation with him."

"No!" Rachael argues. "Please, Elena, stay here with mommy. I love you." Elena shakes her head.

"Bitch, get in here and find me an ice pack!" We hear Bobby yell.

Rachael wipes her eyes on her sleeve. "Nice," I say to her sarcastically. "You really chose a keeper with that one."

Rachael glares at me but leaves and shuts the car door. I double check that Elena is buckled properly and kiss her forehead before shutting the door. Four stands on the outside of the car, watching as Rachael goes to Bobby.

"I'm going to call you!" Rachael shouts from the porch.

"Don't bother until he's gone," I yell back. Four and I climb into the car and quickly back out of the driveway.

"Full custody?" Four asks.

"Damn right."

* * *

 _ **Three Months Later – Saturday, February 22**_ _ **nd**_ _ **, 4212**_

After a pretty short trial, I gained full custody of Elena. Bobby had pleaded guilty in hoping that it would lessen the charges against him. It did – he only got eighteen months in jail versus four years. Rachael is serving one-thousand hours of community service and any and all visitation with Elena must be supervised by an approved social worker or myself.

She sees Elena about once a week or whenever Elena wants. I've never said no to Elena about seeing her mother, but I've said 'no' to Rachael hundreds of times. After Bobby was put behind bars, Elena began to feel a little safer around her mother. She hasn't been back to her house though; all visits have either been at my house, the park, or some other middle ground. Elena refuses to go back to Rachael's house, and I can't say I blame her. That place holds terrible memories for her now, and maybe someday she'll outgrow them and forget, but it won't be anytime soon I'm sure.

"Daddy," Elena's voice squeals as she runs up to me. "What you makin?"

"I am making you a cake," I tell her. I pick her up and sit her on the counter next to me.

"For me?" she asks, her eyes lighting up.

"You're birthday party is late, but you still need a cake," I tell her. She smiles a wide smile.

"Can you make it pink?"

I laugh at her. "Sure. Hand me that little box," I say. She hands me the box of food color dye and I squirt a small amount of red into the white cake batter. "How's this?" I ask, showing her the color mixed in.

"I like!" she says, clapping her hands. "We eat it now?"

"It has to cook, silly." She sighs and I laugh. "When it's done, you can help me decorate it." Her face lights up again and she claps her tiny hands together.

* * *

My brothers and their families as well as my mom, Lynn, Valarie, and a few of Elena's friends and their parents arrive by four o'clock. I sit out on the balcony with Four and Uriah each of us with a beer in our hands. I have one eye on the grill and the other looking through the sliding glass door where Elena plays with her friends. I'm thankful for the strange heat wave; it is allowing us to use the grill in February. We're all wearing jackets, but it's still nice.

"Is Rachael coming?" Uriah asks.

"Hell no," I say, standing up to the go flip the burgers. "She got her a gift though."

"What is it?"

I shrug. "I think it's a doll or something."

I flip the burgers and turn around when I hear the door slide open. "What's up, guys?" Marlene asks, sitting on a chair next to Uriah.

"Nothing," I say, shutting the grill and turning around. I look inside to see if I can see Elena.

"She's playing with Amelia," Tris assures me.

"I'm good," I say, trying to look like I'm not overprotective.

"When's the food ready?" Uriah asks. "I'm starving."

"You're always starving," Four laughs.

Uriah shrugs. "You're not wrong," he admits.

"About a minute," I say.

* * *

After we eat, Elena opens her gifts. Tris and Four got her a giant doll house. The pink thing is huge, nearly twice the height of Elena. It comes with all the accessories and decorations. Marlene and Uriah got her a play tea set, which is also very pink. My mom gave her a handmade blanket as well as a pre-measured arrangement for the cookies Elena loves. It has all of the flour, sugar, and other ingredients pre-prepared so that all she has to do is add two eggs and some water. Elena was really excited about that one, and I had to promise that we'd make it next week. Lynn and Valarie got her a small kid-camera. She can take pictures of whatever she wants, get them developed, and then decorate them with special pens and stickers. Her friends gave her other little toys and things. I got her the life-sized pony that she has been _begging_ me for months to have. Her and her friends took turns riding the mechanical thing until I called everybody into the living room for cake.

Elena's two tiered, square cake is pink on the inside and out. I helped her frost it with bright pink frosting and then she put decorations all over it. There are edible flowers and fondant stripes along the top tier, and the bottom is decorated with brightly colored sugar in a swirling pattern. The cake impressed everybody and I was happy to send leftovers home with the guests.

Her friends left, as well as my mom, but my friends and brothers stayed for a while. We all sat out on the balcony and chatted and had a few beers until it was pretty late. All six kids fell asleep scattered around the living room.

Tris only had one beer, so she packed up her kids and Four and left for the night. Marlene and Uriah didn't feel safe driving, so I pulled the couch out for them and they all slept in the living room. Elena was so tired out that she didn't even stir when I carried her into her room and laid her down.

I look down at her tiny sleeping form and thank God for her safety. Nothing else matters to me. Though I know that she sometimes misses living her mom, nothing can heal the fresh wound of the betrayed trust of a parent. She hasn't completely healed from that experience and it pains me to see. But with Bobby behind bars, we can move past it and I can only hope that as she grows older, the terrible time will fade from her memory and she can be free from it all.


End file.
